Song of The Soulless
by DreamerOfWorldss
Summary: When a mysterious stranger arrives at the Academy City of Peace where Naturals and Coordinators exist side by side, things are bound to get complicated.   Will Kira find the thing he is looking for and so his own peace in a world tainted by blood?On hold
1. Chapter one The Stranger

**Hello everyone! This is my first GSD fanfic, so I hope you will like it! Also, sorry for not updating any of my other fanfics (well, I did updated Doll not too long ago) and I know I promised a new CCS fanfic, but I want to leave the poll open for a little bit more before I start concentrating on the one you will choose==]] **

**I really wanted to try writing a GSD fanfic for some time now, and finally this idea came to my mind! I promise it's gonna be a good one!**

********please read A/N at the end of the chapter=p********

**Disclaimer****: I do not own Gundam SEED/Gundam SEED Destiny** **or any of its characters (sadly). I do own the plot, though.**

**Full Genres****:** Romance, Mystery, Friendship, Drama, Adventure and something in-between Sci-Fi, Supernatural and Fantasy (still trying to decide which of those…)

**Full Summery: **When a mysterious stranger arrives at the Academy City of Orb, the City of Peace, where both Naturals and Coordinators exist side by side, things are bound to get complicated.

Will Lacus and her friends manage to unravel Kira's past? Will Kira find the thing he is looking for and so his own peace in a world tainted by blood?

**Enjoy~**

**Song of The Soulless**

**Chapter one- The Stranger**

The sun was setting in the cloudless sky, painting it with majestic, beautiful colors. The wind was blowing mercilessly, rising the sand from the deserted plains and into the lone traveler's eyes.

Fortunately, he was already accustomed to almost all kinds of acclimate after years of traveling all over the three known continents, and so was accordingly dressed in a thick, dark cloak with a high collar which came up to just under his nose, a pair of goggles and two piece of cloths- a thin one covering his mouth and nose, and another wrapped around his head. His only visible belonging was a worn-out brown bag.

He walked over a dune and stopped, letting out a breath of relief.

"Finally," he whispered, "I found it."

XOXO

"Lacus, hey Lacus!" a feminine voice called irritably as its owner ran to catch up to a certain pink-haired, grey-blue-eyed beauty.

Said girl stopped walking and blinked as she saw her best friend standing beside her, her hands on her hips. "Oh! Sorry, Mir, I was day-dreaming," Lacus apologized with a smile that instantly lighted-up her beautiful eyes.

Mir sighed in defeat. "Mind telling me _what_ exactly you were thinking about that you weren't listening to anything I said?" she asked playfully. "It won't happen to be a certain blue-haired boy now, will it?" she teased.

"No, actually. And one would think you would already let it into your stubborn head that the two of us are just friends." She sighed.

"But your parents wanted the two of you to marry," Mir pointed out- as she always did when the subject came up.

And the answer she received was no different than countless of times before. "That was a long time ago. The two of us never thought about each other as more than friends, as I already said."

"Shame. He is hot." Mir gave up, and the two of them resumed walking.

"Speaking of hot, what is going on between you and Dearka?" Lacus asked softly. Mir froze for a second, but managed a half-smile.

"Nothing. I mean, I'm not stupid- I know he would like us to be more than friends, but… I can't." Lacus put a comforting hand on her friend's shoulder, not saying anything for a long moment. "It will be okay, Mir."

"I hope so."

The two girls looked up at the darkening sky; tomorrow they will attend their first day at Archangel Academy- an Academy for both regular human, also called Naturals, and those with certain abilities, also called Voice-Coordinators.

The Academy City of Orb was the first place to establish such educational facilities, in attempt to bring an end to many years of hate and war, which reached their peak with the tragedy of the Bloody Valentine five years ago.

Lacus and her father were always strong supporters of peace, and together with other leading figures of both Naturals and Coordinators, managed to bring upon a peace treaty and the foundation of Orb- the City of Peace, where the first co-ed education system was founded.

As the two friends took their daily evening-walk down the wide, clean and well-lighted streets of the city, they noticed a commotion close to the city gates.

Curious, the two girls decided to check what was all the gathering-around about.

"I see Athrun and the others," Lacus pointed, and the two hurried to join their friends to ask what was all this about.

"Hey, guys, what's going on?" Miriallia asked as the two reached the group.

Their friends shot them a glance but remained quiet. It was the dark brown-haired, purple-eyed Shiho who answered eventually. "Hey, guys. Apparently, there is someone asking permission to enter the city, even though the gates are already closed for the night."

The two girls made nodded in understanding and turned to watch the screen that showed the scenery just outside the city, on which a cloaked figure was displayed.

"Look, I'm not anyone suspicious! And there is a storm coming up! I would really prefer not spending the night out here," they heard a young male voice through the speakers. "Will it help if I show my face? I promise I'm not anyone… dangerous," the way he said the last word made some of the people to fidget slightly, as if a forbidding feeling came over them.

"Look, kid, we have orders not to allow anyone entrance after sunset." One of the gate keepers said.

The boy- or was he a young man? It was hard telling without seeing his face- sighed.

"Seriously, I didn't want it to come to that," he removed the pieces of cloths from around his head and face, and pulled his collar down, then his goggles. "My name is Kira. I came to speak with Uzumi Nara Athha about his daughter. Now, if you won't let me in, I will have to resort to other means," his voice was surprisingly kind, almost _cheerful_, despite the obvious threat.

Beside Lacus, Miriallia gasped. "Kira? Kira Yamato!" she called suddenly, running up toward the screen and the gates.

The boy looked up right at the screen, and the look in his expressionless lavender eyes mesmerized the people watching.

"Miriallia Haw? Is that you?" he didn't really sound surprised, Lacus mused, but rather… _sad_.

"Hey, Mir. Long time no see, huh? You sure haven't changed." He watched her through the screen on his side of the gates.

"I-I thought you… is Tolle-? Let him in!" she cried frantically, obviously confused and not in control.

The people around looked at her strangely until Lacus, who was too shocked at first than to act, came forward and put a restraining hand on the other girl's shoulder.

"Open the gates." She ordered the gates keepers.

"B-But Miss Lacus-!" they stuttered. They knew who she was, of course- everyone knew the Songstress of Peace- and she held high position and authority in the city, even without her father's name.

"Do it!" this time her voice held a hint of power in it- the power which could send people against their loved ones or calm down the worst of enemies.

The gates keepers saluted respectably and obeyed.

Lacus didn't forced them to obey her- she was, after all, one of the leading voices opposing the abuse of the Coordinators' power- but she used just enough to enchant it and remind the people who exactly she was.

The gates opened, and everyone watched silently as the lone figure stepped into the city.

"My, My, what a warm welcome," he mused loudly, clearly amused with the progressing of events.

The next moment he was tackled by a teary Miriallia. He barely managed to keep his balance and support both their weight as she clung to him as if for dear life.

"You're alive! You're alive…" she repeated hysterically in his ears over and over. In the dead silence, even her frantic whispers could be heard.

His blank expression softened somewhat as he hugged her back and patted her head affectionately. "I thought… I will never see you again," she said as she pulled away slightly, her eyes red but dry, and examined him.

"Yeah… so did I." he said in a soft voice that only she could hear. "I was ready for that, but…" he trailed, absorbed in his own painful memories, before wearing that blank expression again and turning to Lacus who, like the rest of the crowd, was watching the exchange curiously.

"Thank you miss. You spared me the need to... use some less pleasant ways to get in," he smiled with no malice, kindly. His behavior was so strange- so different from his forbidding words- that the pink-haired girl barely managed to suppress a shudder.

"It's my role to make sure peace is kept," she offered with a slight bow of her head, keeping a straight face.

He looked at her curiously, titling his head to one side as if to get a better look at her, before he smiled again- a smile that didn't reach his fascinating lavender eyes.

"Oh well, I sure caused quite a commotion. Sorry 'bout that. If only I hadn't met some… hindrances… on my way, all of this could be avoided. My apologizes, Songstress." His manner, though polite, was somewhat dismissive in nature as he turned from her and took Mir's hand. "Well then, off we go. Mir, would you mind showing me around before I go to speak with the old man?" ignoring all the stares, he nonchalantly led Mir away from the crowd, stopping only to wink at Lacus as the two passed her.

Mir shot her friends an apologetic glance as they passed them, but allowed the young stranger to lead her away.

Athrun put a hand on raging Dearka's shoulder to calm him down.

"Well," he said quietly as the group gathered while the rest of the crowd scattered to relay the gossip about the new arrival to the rest of the city, "that was something. We will have to catch Mir later for a long talk. In the meantime, am I the only one who thinks he heard the name 'Kira Yamato' before?" he asked calmly; it was never in his demeanor to get overworked easily.

His silver-haired, hotheaded friend snorted. "He is just a show-off!" Yzak Joule grimaced. "Who cares who he is!"

"_We_, obviously, you blockhead! Mir is our friend, and she is somehow involved with this 'show-off' as you so poetically described him." Shiho shot back heatedly.

_And I thought Yzak was the hotheaded one…_ another girl of their group- Meyrin Hawk- mused to herself.

"Guys, enough!" Athrun burst into their argument. "We will just have to wait till tomorrow after the opening ceremony. Once its end and we all will be at the Academy, we will be able to talk to her. Besides, the others would want to hear about this as well," he added at a second thought, as not all of their close group's members were present. He turned to Lacus who seemed to be deep in thoughts. Once she noticed his attention, she nodded her agreement.

"Seeing as Mir living with me at the moment, I will try talk to her tonight as well. I will let you all know if something comes up." She said. "See you guys tomorrow." She bid them farewell and hurried to her home where she lived with Mir at the time (her father was away from Orb for some peace talks).

After she left, Athrun watched his friends for a moment, trying to figure out what was this strange feeling he had about that Kira Yamato person; Dearka was quiet, Yzak and Shiho kept bickering in whispers, and Meyrin, like himself, watched their little group with a frown.

She looked up at him and gave a half-smile, "Well, what a way to close the day. I have a feeling it's gonna be an eventful year."

_Eventful somehow sounds like an understatement…_

_

* * *

_

**And cut! Hehe, I know the chapter is short, but it was the most fitting place to stop…**

**Anyway, if you want me to continue, please **review** and tell me so! (I already wrote the next chapter).**

**By the way, if anyone noticed/wondered why Kira called Lacus 'Songstress' even though he (apparently) doesn't know her, then one of the reasons is that he heard her using some of her Vice-Controlling abilities (again, ONE of the reasons…)**

See ya guys! Luv you!

**Evermore**


	2. Chapter two Old Acquaintance

**Hey everyone! Thank you ****fangundamseed****, ****GS4ever****, ****kxl****, ****SEEDguru****, ****FalseExact****, ****Sonny567**** and ****StealthKite**** so much for your feedbacks! It really made me want to update as soon as possible (though I can't promise every update will be so fast. I do have school and such).**

**I really hope you will like this chapter! I had much fun writing it, especially the last scene. Hope I won't disappoint and you will stick around with the story!**

****Please read A/N at the end of the chapter- there is an important question for you there!**

**And now, on with the story.**

**Enjoy!**

**Chapter Two- Old Acquaintance**

Miriallia returned home very late, only to find Lacus sitting on a chair at the living room, drinking coffee and watching T.V. waiting for her. She stood still at the entrance as the two just examined each other silently.

"How are you?" the question surprised Mir, who was expecting an interrogation of sort.

"I- I will be fine," she answered weakly. She was done crying, she told herself, and she refused to break in front of more people. It was bad enough to cry on Kira's shoulder while he held her comfortingly.

She knew he hadn't told her everything, and something was clearly wrong with him; he was never so bitter before, but he refused to let on anymore details than what was 'necessary' for her to know- according to him, that is.

Lacus got up and slowly made her way toward the auburn-haired girl who was her best friend of five years and embraced her.

"You know I'm here for you when you want to talk, right?" Mir nodded, returning the gesture gratefully. "And just to give you the heads-up, everyone are gonna try to get some information out of you tomorrow, so you've been warned," Lacus pretended to sound dreadful. "Actually, I was supposed to try and get something out of you myself," she continued playfully, earning a short but real laugh from Mir.

"Thanks, Lacus. For everything. I really don't know what I would have done without you," Mir whispered sincerely.

"What are friends for? Now, I want you to go get some rest. We don't wanna be late tomorrow because you couldn't wake up now, do we?"

"Hey! I resent that!" Mir called playfully. She smiled at her friend. "Night, Lacus."

"Night."

XOXO

Kira Yamato was sitting on the Athha mansion's roof, watching the sun rising with wistful eyes, hugging his long legs to his chest.

After his talk with Mir, he walked her home and went to meet with his younger twin's adopting father.

To say Uzumi was surprised to see him will be an understatement; the man was down right shocked- which was the only thing that saved his life, really. Kira wasn't a violent person, really- most people who knew him before the war would have described him as gentle, actually.

But then again, that was _before_ the war.

A lot of things have changed since the Bloody Valentine Tragedy.

And Kira Yamato was now a young man with a mission- a mission he was told he needed to come to the Academy City in order to fulfill.

He sighed and closed his magnificent eyes, letting the sun's rays to bath his face in their warmth.

_Why me?_ He asked himself, not for the first time. He allowed himself to bask in the dawn's light while engrossed in the darkness of his miserable thoughts and self-pity for a few more minutes, before finally getting up, stretching, and jumping from the roof to the balcony of the second story of the mansion two meters below. He landed gracefully on his bare tiptoes and walked into the room he was given in the mansion.

It was a big, comfortable room painted sea-green with a wide, comfy bed, a drawer, a closet and a desk in it. The room was also connected to a personal bathroom, which he was grateful for; he had the bad habit of taking showers at inconvenient hours- a habit his parent and sibling often scolded him about. Once.

After taking a quick, refreshing, and warm shower (a nice change after showering in cold water for the past few days), he wrapped a towel around his slim waist and watched himself for a long moment at the mirror; a tall, lean yet strong tanned figure, messy brown hair and dull lavender eyes stared back at him motionlessly.

He clenched his fists and ran a hand through his dripping tresses, exasperated at himself for expecting, dreading, to see something else. He opened the closet to see what clothes Uzumi prepared for him, and was surprised to see the variety of choices despite the short notice of his 'visit'.

Chuckling mirthlessly, he chose a black shirt with long sleeves and a dark pair of jeans. He then put back on the necklace he removed before his shower; a blood-red stone carved in a shape of a tear on a thin, black piece of leather strap. He held in for a long moment, staring at it, before thrusting it into his shirt so it was invisible. He then took his ragged bag and opened it, taking out the few things which were important enough for him to carry with him everywhere: a few photographs, an origami flower in a little, plain box, and a letter.

He opened the letter carefully and read it, despite the fact that the words were engraved onto his mind to never fade; it was part of his morning ritual- one that he performed at the last five years. After folding the letter back carefully and putting those few, mostly sentimental-valued objects in his new school bag, he took out his last belonging.

Kira caressed the shining, deathly object; his shape-changing weapon.

_Freedom_, it was called.

How ironic, that this very weapon, which was supposed to represent liberty, was his own personal biding chain; his curse to bear for as long as his mission remains uncompleted.

_I wear a chain around my neck as to never forget, and another was forced upon me as a punishment for my sins, for as long as I live._

Good thing he was already familiar with depression; it didn't affect him as much anymore.

XOXO

Mir was restless all through the opening ceremony's speeches that were given by principal Murrue Ramius and some of Orb's political and educational leaders. She didn't stop moving in her seat and looking around, as if expecting something… or rather some_one_.

Her friends glanced her way every once in a while worriedly, but kept quiet. They all heard about yesterday's incident, of course- as probably heard at least half of the city's population.

That is until Shin Asuka, the insensitive blockhead he was, snapped. "Would you stop that already? It's annoying! And who are you looking for, anyway? Your show-off of a boyfriend?"

Mir froze and gave the raved-headed a deathly glare. Not that it stopped him from muttering an angry "_What_?" at their friends' disapproving looks and frowns.

"FYI, he is not my boyfriend," Mir hissed at him, though her answer was directed to all of them, "he is a close childhood friend whom I hadn't seen for five years! And yes, I was looking for him, actually. He was supposed to be here long ago." She got back to looking around.

"Whoa-? You mean he is enrolling here?" Luna, Meyrin's older sister, asked.

"That's what he _said_, but I can't seem to find him…" Mir came to a sudden alert as she finally spotted the dark figure that just walked into the Hall and leaned causally against the wall behind the last row of chairs; the Academy's standard bag with the Academy's crest hanged on his shoulder. She couldn't make out his expression, but she could imagine his bored eyes wandering about over the audience.

"Here he is," she whispered to herself with a relieved smile, not intending for her friends to hear. But of course, they did hear.

They all turned to look at the direction she was looking, only to find an amused Kira staring back at them. He saluted them playfully with two fingers before turning his gaze from them.

"He is cute," murmured Luna. Shin snorted, earning a smack on the head from Shiho. Rey sighed at his best friend's antics, shaking his head. Lacus, Athrun and Yzak watched Dearka silently as the blond teen looked at Mir. They all knew about his feelings for her, and despite the easy and out-going front he maintained- they knew he cared deeply for the Natural girl.

The latter didn't seem to pay attention to her friends' reactions and just settled back, finally relaxed, in her seat.

Lacus and Athrun exchanged worried looks; they could always communicate without words. And it has nothing to do with their nature as Coordinators, but rather a result of years of close friendship. And really, it wasn't hard figuring what it was they thought about.

"_Did you find anything?"_ Lacus mouthed with her lips. Athrun shook his head.

"_You?"_ she returned the gesture. Athrun frowned. It was so strange. He looked up the name Kira Yamato to no avail; the guy just wasn't on the database. As if he never existed.

The sudden applauses around him pulled him back to reality; the ceremony ended.

XOXO

Kira was agitated. Really, he just couldn't wait for the stupid, boring speeches to end already. He thanked any possibly existing god out there that he wouldn't really be expected to attend any of the (useless) classes the other teens present at the moment were; he was only here to look for answers, and giving his age, attending the Academy was simply the easiest way to mingle, and as a bonus, it provided the best cover for his true intentions.

He allowed himself to relax and be engulfed in his thoughts; for once, his dwelling didn't concern the past, bur rather a more immediate problem, AKA Miriallia. She was the only reason he even bothered coming willingly (somewhat) to take part in this torture known as 'opening ceremony'. All just to reassure her he had no intention of pulling the disappearance act on her- not at the moment, at least.

That- and he also felt a little guilty; she wasn't exactly in the most stable condition right now, and that was partly, if not mainly, his fault, and he didn't want to be the cause for more distress for her.

_You keep telling yourself that_, a bitter voice in his mind mused. _You know very well you would have left without thinking twice had your mission didn't require your stay._

Kira shook his head, ignoring his conscience's persistent voice, just in time to hear the applauses indicating the speeches' end. _Thank the heavens above_. Could those people get any cornier?

He really hoped the answer was 'no'. A firm one, preferably.

When all the new and veteran students of the Academy rose to their feet, clapping respectfully and getting ready to leave for the first day on campus (on which the dorms and schedules were handed), Kira stealthy avoided the scattering teens, a mischievous smirk on his handsome face as he considered the best way to approach a certain ex-captain-turned-principal, and a certain vice-principal-and-gymnastics-teacher.

Irony in action again; former comrades of the military Archangel Special Unit reunion at Archangel Academy in the City of Peace.

Really now, sometimes he believed his life were some sort of cosmic joke.

"And that's when irony becomes a tragedy," he murmured softly to himself. Indeed, those words proved to be true.

XOXO

Murrue Ramius, former military persona and currently the principal of Archangel Academy, sighed heavily as she sat herself on the comfy, black office chair in her beautiful decorated and well-lighted office.

"Why so depressed on the first day of the school year, kaichou?" Mu La Flaga leaned on the side of her expensive-looking wooden desk.

She glared at him. "Don't sit on the desk," she warned.

The blond man grinned at her, "I'm not. There is a different between 'leaning' and 'sitting', you know? I can look it up in the dictionary for you if you don't believe me," he offered.

"A rather thin line, in your case," she scoffed, though she fought to suppress a smile, "and you're not funny." She added at a second thought.

"You hurt my delicate sense of humor!" the former soldier mocked hurt.

"Just thought you should know. You know- for future uses."

He smiled at her brightly before his behavior took on a 180 degrees change. "What was it that Uzumi-san said that got to you like that?" he demanded in a serious voice, referring to the brief yet obviously grave conversation she received just before the ceremony began.

The brown-haired woman closed her eyes for a moment before looking at him square in the eye and spoke in a dead-serious voice. "He didn't really elaborated too much or got into details, but from what I gathered, it looks like Le Creuset isn't out of the game like we previously thought," she took a deep breath, "he also mentioned a sudden visit he got yesterday-"

"You mean from that young individual who got into the city last night? He caused quite a commotion that could easily lead to a quarrel, I heard, which luckily was avoided by our little pinks princess," he interrupted, frowning.

"Yes, well, he didn't tell me who it was. He just said he met with him, and the visit roused up some suspicions he had but hoped were wrong. Uzumi-san promised to come by shortly to explain the whole thing- something about The Mirage Operation-"

"I wonder if that would be the perfect moment to interrupt and make my dramatic entrance?" a new, young male voice came from the office's door's direction. The two adults jumped and turned hastily, alerted; they _were_ trained soldiers, after all.

"You two didn't even notice me open the door. Has your senses rusted that much after a few years of comfort?" the young man leaning causally on the door frame pushed himself from his position and straightened, his deep eyes twinkling for a brief moment with amusement and mischief before dulling again.

"What?" he asked the two shocked older people who stared at him, zillion emotions and questions in their disbelieving eyes. "You look like you saw a ghost," he commented off-handily, grinning.

"Ki… ra-kun?" Murrue's voice was questioning. "Is that… really you?"

"The one and only. Unless, of course, you know someone else by that name, and then the real question will be to whom _you_'re referring," he chuckled lowly.

"Never been that cheeky when he was a kid," Mu murmured, still having some difficulty comprehending the whole situation.

Kira raised an eyebrow. "Good to see you too, Mu-san," he offered with another grin.

The next moment he was engulfed by a hug from the two people he always looked up to in his younger years.

"Kid, we all thought you were dead," Mu whispered as Murrue took a step back to get a better look at the boy she once took under her wings.

"And now you are all grown up. You're taller than me," she remarked.

Kira's expression softened; just like with Miriallia, these were two people he could never possibly be angry or bitter with- not really, and not for long.

"It's been five years, after all," he said, the arrogance in his stance dissolving. The three exchanged looks of nostalgia and warmth for some time before the full meaning of the recent events came back to them.

Murrue got back to her sit, indicating the two men to sit too, to which they obeyed silently; in a sense, she still was their commander.

"I take it then that you were the cause of the incident yesterday?" Murrue required. Kira gave her an unapologetic shrug.

"I had no intention of spending another night outside a shielded area- in a storm, might I add- when a perfectly nice city stood just before me."

"If you had only arrived an hour or two earlier-"

"I meant to, but I had an encounter with a pack of some sand mutt not too far," he protested.

"A sand mutations? So close to the city?" Mu asked, surprised.

"Yes. Well, they are no more a reason to get worried, though," Kira shrugged again.

They took a second to let his last things sink in before exclaiming, "You took on a pack of sand mutt by yourself? Are you nuts?"

The young lavender-eyed man gave them a hard look, silencing them effectively. _Just what exactly happened to him?_ They both wondered. _He is so different…_

"Anyway, as much as I would love to continue the conversation, there is some more urgent businesses to discuss," he tunneled the conversation back to topic. "You need to know some things. I will explain more as soon as Uzumi-san joins us." He turned his head to face the once again closed door. "It's really impolite to eavesdrop, you know," he called calmly. "Why don't you just come on in?"

His voice was smooth and melodic- unnaturally so. Commanding. It was impossible not to obey.

That was the Power of Voice all Coordinators possessed, after all. Especially him.

* * *

**MySelf**: Muwahahahahhaa **MySelf** is soooo evil for ending the chapter like that!

**I**: darn you! Who is it listening in on them?

**MySelf**: so not telling you. You will have to wait for next chap!

**I**: evil! You're pure evil, evil, evil!

**Me**: baka **MySelf**!

**MySelf**: Whatever. You guys are giving me a headache. **MySelf** outta here.

**A/N: well guys, sorry 'bout the cliffhanger (or maybe not) but at least it was a longer chapter! I really hope this chapter (and the story in general) won't disappoint (I know I already said that but twice are better than once right?XXDD). Also, let me apologize in advance for the lack of Kira/Lacus interaction. Don't worry though, that will come too (I'm a sucker for romance, so you can rest assured=p).**

**Anyway, I have a question: would you prefer shorter but more frequent chapters, or longer but irregularly released chapters? Please ****review**** and tell me!**

**P.S.** English is not my native language, so if you see any grammar mistakes or whatever, you are welcome to point it to me and I will fix it- it will also help me improve my writing!==]]

**See ya guys! Luv ya!**

****Evermore** **


	3. Chapter three Eavesdroppin

**Hello everyone! First of all, I wanna say thank to all of you who reviewed! You guys are great and it's really makes my day to know you liked my story!**

**Anyway, I asked you a question about the frequency and length of chapters you would prefer, and here is what I think will be best: I will try my best to update once a week and to make every chapter 7 or more Word pages long. Hope that's okay=]**

**Now, I wanted to update earlier, but this chapter just had me changing and complicating the plot and I had so many possible developments from which I had to choose one so I can actually finish writing this chapter, so I apologize for the wait! *sheepish smile***

**To Chaos2Rapture:**** I'm so happy to hear you liked my story! Especially since I'm simply INLOVE with yours! (As I told you more than once I believe…=pXD)**

****Author's note at the end of the chapter****

**Enjoy^_^**

**Chapter Three- Eavesdropping**

"Lacus," Athrun's voice snapped her out of her thoughts. She turned to him questionably, frowning at his serious voice.

"Athrun?"

"You know you shouldn't take Shin too seriously, right? He just speaks without thinking, that kid."

_**Flashbac**_**_k_**

_After the ceremony, Lacus and her friends went to get their schedules and keys to their room._

_Meyrin was told her roommate should arrive Somewhen during the week, so she will have the room for herself for the time being. The redhead looked torn between delight and disappointment, to her friends' amusement. _

_Mir- who was Lacus's roommate- left them as soon as she got her schedule and told Lacus she will meet her in their room later on, leaving Lacus, Shin, Rey and Meyrin staring after her with bewilderment in their eyes._

_The four soon joined the rest of their friends (who were second years and already had rooms from the last year) in Athrun's room (his roommate went on vacation after the last school year ended, and apparently has yet to return). _

_Athrun, Dearka, Yzak, Luna and Shiho were waiting for them, their patience wearing thin._

"_Where is Mir?"_

"_She left as soon as we got our schedules… she didn't even bother waiting to get her key!" Shin answered heatedly. Rey sighed._

"_You shouldn't sound so offended, Shin. It's not as if she was trying to insult you, you know."_

_Shin huffed and turned from him, throwing himself over the vacant bed._

"_What are we going to do?" Meyrin asked quietly._

"_It's not really our business, you know," Luna said suddenly, surprising them. "We're getting so worked up, and for what? She claims she knows that Kira person, and it's not as if he proved to be any threat. So why do you feel obligated to stick your noses where it doesn't belong?"_

_The friends looked at each other uneasily; sure, what Luna said made sense, but neither of them could shake the feeling that something bad was about to take place, and their friend of six years will get caught in the middle of it._

"_Well," Dearka broke the silence finally, "I don't know about you, but Mir is our friend, and I'm gonna __**make**__ it my business." He said determinedly._

_Yzak smirked at his best friend. "At least its bound to be interesting," the silver-haired mused, "And I really don't like that guy. Cocky bastard."_

"_You don't like __**anyone**__," Shiho shot instinctively; rebuking and countering his words had became sort of a habit, really. She just couldn't help herself._

_Their friends groaned as the two began bickering once more. "Just ignore them," Rey suggested._

_So they returned to their conversation._

"_Say, if we decided to get involved, what exactly- and __**how**__ exactly- are we going to ask Mir about… everything? Mir got here about six years ago, which means she knew that guy from before the Bloody Valentine- and you know how she is when the subject of the war comes up," Meyrin reminded, voicing out loud Lacus's thoughts._

"_You know, we could always just force the information outta her," Shin suggested._

_His friends stared at him. Using their Voice-Control abilities on their own friend? Was he serious?_

"_Shin," Athrun said quietly, "remember how I told you once that always speaking your mind without holding back was one of your best qualities?"_

_Shin looked at him, confusion written all over his face. It took him a few moments before he finally let out a hesitated, "Eh… yes?"_

_Athrun nodded, "Well, sometimes it can also be one of your greatest flaws."_

_Shin's ruby eyes narrowed at his direction. "I was just-"_

"_Shin," Rey's ever calm voice interrupted firmly, "just shut up for once."_

_**End flashback**_

Lacus smiled reassuringly at him. "Don't worry. I know that. I just hope everything will be alright. I have a bad feeling about the whole thing…"

Athrun frowned. He learnt long ago that Lacus's hunches often proved correct. He put a comforting hand around the pink-haired girl's shoulders in a friendly half hug.

"Don't worry. If and when things will get complicated, we will get over them together, all of us- like we always do."

Lacus smiled and was about to tease him about his oh-so-wise words, when the two spotted Miriallia, sitting on a bench over the lawn outside of the actual Academy building. She seemed lost in thoughts, and hadn't noticed either of them.

"I will see you later," Lacus said before going toward their distressed-looking friend. Athrun just nodded worriedly and watched as Mir suddenly got to her feet and took off, apparently not hearing Lacus calling her, and as Lacus went after her.

He massaged his temples. He didn't know what was the right thing to do at the moment, and feeling clueless was one of the things he hated the most.

XOXO

Lacus ran after Miriallia as the later looked down in concentration over an object Lacus couldn't identify, mumbling to herself.

The pink-haired girl, curious about her friend's destination, decided to tail her quietly before informing the auburn-haired girl of her presence. To her surprise, Mir headed straight to the eastern wing, where the main meeting-room of the teachers and the principal's office were located.

Mir burst right into the building and stopped. Slowly and carefully, she looked around, checking to see if there was anyone nearby, before she looked down to her hand once again and walked silently and turning left- and stopped again just before the principal's office.

Lacus, concluding she'd be better off letting Mir know she wasn't alone, walked to her frozen friend and put a hand on her shoulder.

Mir jumped, barely suppressing a scream of shock and fright, but managed to calm down as soon as she recognized her best friend. Her azure eyes were wide, though, and her hand was clenched over her racing heart.

"What are you doing here?" she hissed.

Lacus looked meaningfully back at her, one eyebrow slightly raised. Mir shook her head.

"Never mind. Just… please don't tell anyone!"

"Do you even need to ask?" Lacus whispered softly. "I'm your friend, Mir. I'm just worried about you."

Mir nodded, smiling weakly. "I… I just really have to figure out… I need to know what Kira's hiding from me," she confessed. "And apparently, he is inside, talking to Ramius-san and Mu-san." She explained. "I told you I met them with my friends once during the- the war," her voice was lowered even more as happy and sad memories resurfaced, "but I have no idea what Kira could possibly be discussing with them."

Lacus nodded in understanding. "But are you sure it is the right thing to do, Mir? Does it worth it? And, most of all, are you ready to face whatever it is your friend believer you do be better off not knowing?"

Returning Lacus's grave look, Mir nodded firmly; she was determined to find out what happened to her childhood friend- one of the few people who were most important to her in the whole world and still lived.

And so, she turned slowly toward the closed door, and listened. And unable to suppress her curiosity, Lacus joined her.

"…_I had no intention of spending another night outside a shielded area- in a storm, might I add- when a perfectly nice city stood just before me._" They heard a voice of a young man. _Kira_, Lacus recognized from their brief meeting

"_If you had only arrived an hour or two earlier-"_ their principal spoke in a scolding voice, yet an unmistaken hint of affection lingered in her voice.

"_I meant to, but I had an encounter with a pack of some sand mutt not too far," _  
Kira's voice cut her, protesting.

"_A sand mutations? So close to the city?"_ Mu was heard asking in surprise.

"_Yes. Well, they are no more a reason to get worried, though,"_ the young man said off-hand manner.

There was a short silence before the two adults exclaimed, _"You took on a pack of sand mutt by yourself? Are you nuts?"_

Another silence. It was nerve-wrecking for the two eavesdropping girls.

_Took on a pack of sand mutt? __**Alone**__? How on earth did he pull that off? He didn't even appear injured when he got here! Surely he is lying!_ Lacus was doubtful. She knew how hard was battling the monsters roaming the desert; like all people- be they part of the military or civilians- her friends and her attended the weekly fighting course, which was a must to all the city population, to prepare them for the scenario of mutations or hostile forces who disagreed with their peaceful ways managing to get into the city and raid it.

Athrun and the guys volunteered once to join an Extermination Squad that was sent to get rid of a pair of mutts which was spotted near. They told her that even with their party of ten experienced Protectors and five volunteers, it was a hard bringing down the two huge worm-like creatures; their light-brown skin was as strong as steel. They could dig into the desert ground. Their breathe could paralyze a horse and they had vicious, sharp teeth and poisoned stinger that even a superficial wound caused by it could lead to death if not taken care of in time.

So how could possibly one man succeed in beating a whole pack of those monsters?

Just then, a sound of footsteps reached Lacus's ears.

"Someone is coming!" she tapped Mir's shoulder. "Quickly! We can't let anyone catch us here!" Mir nodded and the two slipped as quietly as they could manage into a room further down the hall.

Before they closed the door softly yet hastily behind them, thought, Lacus caught a glimpse of mid-length bright hair…

After a few more minutes, they checked the hall again.

It was empty. They ran out of the room they got into and out of the building, almost colliding with Representative Uzumi Athha. The two stopped abruptly and managed to appear calm and collected.

"Ah, miss Lacus! Miss Haw! I see the two of you are in a hurry," he said good-naturedly.

"Uzumi-sama! I'm so sorry for our behavior," Lacus said in her soft, disarming voice. She smiled at the man and bowed. "We were supposed to meet our friends some time ago but lost track of time…" she giggled, half amused-half embarrassed.

He nodded and gestured for his bodyguard to go head of him.

"Just be carful… especially you, miss Haw," he nodded once more toward them, a meaningful look in his wise, tired eyes. "Off you go, young ladies," he dismissed them and continue on his way.

"That was close," Mir let out a breath of relief, "a singer _and_ an actress, ha Lacus? Who would've ever guessed!"

Lacus smiled at her, her blue-grey orbs twinkling for a moment then clouding with worry. "I wonder what he meant by that…" she whispered, referring to Uzumi's warning. Mir looked lost in her own world, thinking about the possibilities.

Neither of them noticed the pair of eyes that followed their retreat.

Just liked they hadn't _really_ noticed what the room in which they hid was.

XOXO

"Anyway, as much as I would love to continue the conversation, there is some more urgent businesses to discuss," he tunneled the conversation back to topic. "You need to know some things. I will explain more as soon as Uzumi-san joins us." Kira turned his head to face the once again closed door. "It's really impolite to eavesdrop, you know," he called calmly. "Why don't you just come on in?"

His voice was smooth and melodic- unnaturally so. Commanding. It was impossible not to obey.

In came a girl with bright red hair, her face not revealing anything. She didn't appear the slightest bit ashamed over being caught red-handed while eavesdropping. She also didn't act surprised nor disturbed by the young man's powerful control over her action and of her obedience to his command.

She locked her stormy grey eyes with Kira's cold and distant lavender ones.

"It's been a while, Kira," she addressed him, breaking the heavy silence. "How does forcefully living on a borrowed time feels like?"

* * *

**Well, I really wanted to put a KiraxLacus scene, but decided I don't want to rush this story, and so I put a preview for all of you KiraxLacus fans (like me!) so you have a vague idea of what to expect next chap!**

**Now, this chapter was hard to write since it determined the course of the rest of the story (though I doubt it will seem like that to you right now) and made me do a few changes… I have many ideas and deciding between them is what held me so long from finishing this chapter. I hope it won't disappoint you. And just to clear things- I really am taking my time each chapter to develop the plot. I don't want it to be rushed like my first fanfic (though I hope I'll manage to avoid dragging it too).**

**And now, the promised preview:**

"_Lacus Clyne, Songstress of Peace, famous Senator Seigel Clyne's only daughter, a remarkable Coordinator by her own right… and a nosy eavesdropper. I wonder why that last part somehow doesn't seem to add up," his voice was not unkind and his words in no way were said in a hostile manner, yet a warning bells went off in Lacus's head; it was like his mere voice, let alone his presence, just radiated danger and power barely contained._

_A dark figure jumped down lightly right in front of her from up a near by tree. Lacus didn't bat an eye; in a strange way, it was like she expected that. She had a feeling Mir and her little intruding act didn't go completely unnoticed._

_He smirked at her, his eyes shining, reflecting the stars' and the moon's light mirthlessly._

"_You knew we were there," it wasn't a question._

_He tilted his head to one side, his smirk growing, "Indeed."_

_Shin was right. __**Cocky bastard.**_

**Wow! That last thought was sooo unLacus-like! Hehe please **review **and tell me what you thought about this chapter!**

**Luv ya!**

****Evermore****


	4. A background to the story

**Hello everyone! This is a sort of ****background**** to the story I decided to write so I won't have to answer anew to each person asking (it's especially for you ****Sherin****=])**

**Here goes:**

1) Ages: Kira, Athrun, Dearka, Yzak, Luna and Shiho are all 19. Lacus, Mir, Meyrin, Shin and Rey are 18. That means that the Academy is like a college where the first years are 18.

2) Cagalli: don't worry, she will make an appearance soon enough. It might have been three chapters and she hasn't showed up even though she was mentioned in the first chapter, but let's not forget it has been barely two days since Kira arrived to Orb.

3) I took some basic ideas from other mangas/animes (the weapons from Chrome Shelled Regios and the monsters are a combination of Chrome's and TRC's) but aside for that, any other similarities are purely coincidental.

4) No more long A/Ns unless it's REALLY important. Promise! **sheepish smile**

5) About Voice-Controlling: I took the term Coordinator from the anime obviously, but its meaning is a bit different; Coordinators posses better reflexes and sharper senses, but aren't necessarily stronger or faster or smarter. The main difference between Coordinators and Naturals is that Coordinators have the ability to use their voice to control others. A bit like hypnotizing- just stronger, doesn't request eye-contact and is weaker against other Coordinators (depending on the user; but basically they have high immunity). It works with voice waves and on the brain waves (don't ask, I'm making this up...XD)

6) Personalities: characters _will_ act OOC; not only Kira, but mainly him. Partly because it's necessary for the story and partly because there are some characters who are simply hard to keep 'loyal' to their original selves. Besides, it _is _a fanfiction- its bound to be different from the anime/manga. Don't like don't read.

**Now, if there are any other things you don't understand, feel free to ask!**

**Thank you all and stay tuned!**

****Evermore****


	5. Chapter four Manipulations

**Hello guys! Wow, that chapter was just as hard to write as the last one was- if not more- so I really hope it will be to your liking.**

**I wrote this chapter bits by bits and different scenes each time, so I hope it won't seem weird in some parts or anything…**

**Well, on with chapter four!**

**Enjoy^_^**

**Chapter Four- Manipulations**

_Pinocchio did not possess a real body, nor did he had any memories or experiences to prepare him for the real world, when he was given the breathe of life; so I wonder, was he really alive, this boy made of wood? Or maybe only when his body became flesh and blood, was he considered 'real boy'?_

_Just what is it that makes us humans?_

_

* * *

_

"_It's been a while, Kira," she addressed him, breaking the heavy silence. "How does forcefully living on a borrowed time feels like?"_

Kira kept his face expressionless; it wasn't that hard, really. He knew she will come to Orb eventually too, seeing as- as he discovered- the base of her 'superior' was in the sister city of Orb, which some nicknamed (in a non-affectionate manner) the Sin City; it was another City where both Coordinators and Naturals coexisted, though their reasons weren't as noble as the people living in Orb's- they just didn't care who you are. The law there was very loose, and the regime corrupted. Thieves, assassins, mercenaries, war criminals- all were welcomed there, as long as they knew how to get by and make the best out of such environment.

And now Kira found himself facing one of the most significant people- for the good or the bad- in his life. One of the main reasons for his current 'condition', as his twin called it in the few times he allowed the subject to resurface. He just hoped the two eavesdropping girls- which he recognized by their whispering voices as Mir and Lacus- went unnoticed by anyone other than himself.

"Well?" the redhead young woman required after realizing he wasn't going to answer. "Really, Kei, this tendency of yours to get lost in your own little world hasn't changed one bit," her voice was just as he remembered- maybe just a little bit smoother, more mature- but hers all the same.

"I'm sorry, but who are you exactly and what do you thing you are doing coming in here like that?" Murrue overcame her shock at the sudden appearance of the redhead.

The girl hit her head in a 'how-stupid-of-me' gesture and aimed her best, winning smile at the older woman and man watching her.

"Forgive me, principal Ramius, how impolite of me. My name is Flay Allster. I'm a new student here at the Academy as well as Kira's friend. I was sent to give him something related to the conversation he planned of having with you and with Representative Athha."

Mu raised an eyebrow at that. "Should we assume then that you know of the nature of this supposed conversation?" the blond man asked.

Flay's stormy grey eyes fixed on him for a moment, and then on Murrue and back on Kira, who remained unmoving in his place. Upon hearing Mu's question, though, he returned her look with a cold one of his own.

The message was clear: 'you better not say any unnecessary things, for your own good'.

The redhead just smiled at that. She turned back to Mu with a charming smile.

"Well, that depends," her voice was low, "on what and how much Kira intends on revealing."

Clearly, the two adults were not satisfies with her answer, but before they could add any more, a knock was heard on the door, followed by Representative Uzumi Nara Athha, who seemed to be deep in thoughts.

He stopped short upon seeing the unexpected addition to their meeting and met Murrue's eyes with a questioning look.

"Uzumi, please meet Flay Allster… an old friend of mine," Kira finally decided to speak. Things weren't going as planned.

Flay stepped closer to the man to shake his hand, appearing as calm and collected as always, not the slightest bit unnerved by the situation and people involved- who were, each by their own right, considered powerful and important individuals.

"Allster?" Uzumi repeated thoughtfully after shaking her hand, "Why does the name sound so familiar? Have we ever met?"

Flay gave him a forced, tight smile. "I believe not."

Kira clenched his hands, knowing what was going through her mind. And he could understand her, really. That's what made things so much more difficult.

"Flay, we will talk later. You can give me your message after I'm done here." The brunette caught their attention.

She seemed to ponder on whether to obey him or to insist on staying, but eventually decided not to cause a scene.

"Well then, Kira, I will see you later. It was a pleasure meeting you all." She bid them goodbye and left.

_Coming and going like a sudden storm… you never change your ways_, Kira watched her closing the door behind her.

"What a charming young lady. I wonder why her name sounds so familiar…" Uzumi said out loud. "Is she a new addition to the Academy?" he asked Murrue and Mu.

The two exchanged lost glances and sighed. "It appears that way. I wasn't informed about any new students arriving in the last moment aside for Kira and Cagalli, though. I will need to check it later." Murrue answered him.

"What the hell is going on, Kira? What was this about? What is _all_ this about?" Mu burst impatiently.

Kira looked at him, calculating and choosing his next words carefully. "A lot happened that you aren't aware of, Mu. And I don't mean only in the past five years, but also in the war itself." The young man watched him taking this in. "It's all connected to The Mirage Operation- the thing I wanted to talk to all of you about."

"The Mirage Operation! How do _you_ know about it, Kira-kun? Very few know about it even to this day-"

"I did tell, you, Murrue-san, that the visit I got yesterday is what confirmed some suspicions I had. Kira was the one who informed me about the M.O. and of Le Creuset's involvement with this inhuman experiment." Uzumi cut her sentence.

Neither spoke after his statement. Both Mu and Murrue thought about the consequences of this statement while Kira just stared out the window up to the sky with a bored expression on his face.

_Why do people tend to be so dramatic?_ He wondered absently.

"_**Isn't it because it's more fun that way?"**_ he remembered _her_ answer to his question when he once thought that out loud for some reason he could not recall.

"Fun, huh?"

"Kira-kun?"

He blinked and instinctively straightened when he realized all the other three presented were looking at him.

"Sorry," he mumbled. "You were saying?"

"We didn't say anything. Are you okay?" Murrue demanded firmly.

"Yeah. No problem. It's nothing." He reassured her with a crooked smile. She wasn't convinces but decided to let it go and just shook her head.

"So both Le Creuset and The Operation were not eliminated," Mu mused then snickered at his own choice of words. "Neither Murrue or myself know much about it. Care to elaborate?" he asked both Kira and Uzumi.

"The Operation was supported by a few influential personas who decided the best way to stop the war was by taking a very crucial part of the soldiers- to make them a better warriors," Kira explained. "Actually, this idea was the origin of Coordinators in a way, you know," he added thoughtfully. "Because the one could not come to be without the other, and the other was only part of the attempt to create something greater- for which the first was needed," he knew they didn't catch the full meaning of what he was telling them, and he knew his explanation did nothing to clear things up, but after all, Flay was right- _it was much more fun like that._

"Kira-kun…"

The lavender-eyed smiled bitterly to himself and continued. "The Mirage Operation's objective was to get rid of the human soul."

XOXO

It was getting dark outside by the time Kira left Murrue's office. He couldn't take the adults' continuing questions and demands and worried remarks anymore. It was too much. He hadn't the need to interact with so many people for such long range of time for years.

Mir, Murrue, Mu, Uzumi and now Flay- and not to mention Cagalli who was due to arrive tomorrow. Ugh. He was always the one with the tendency to keep to himself and act like loner between his sister and himself. And it got much worse since he started travelling by himself.

He breathed deeply, taking in the refreshing scent of the clean, evening air. He had things he needed to think about.

First of all was Flay, of course. He knew she will expect him to meet her soon- in no more than an hour- and he didn't believe he had the mental strength to deal with her at the moment. And whatever her message to him was, it couldn't be good.

Then there were Miriallia and that Lacus girl.

He didn't want to involve Mir unless he had no other choice, but he felt no similar obligations toward the pink-haired silver-spoon 'princess'. She might be useful; she had connections and she had access to some key people in his mission, and she was obviously curious and intrigued with him. She will be easy enough to manipulate.

He felt no more than a dull stab of guilt at the thought of using some innocent girl to fulfill his own objectives; after all, people like her father and his likes had no problems using him and his friends…

_No. don't think. Don't remember. What's done is done, and there is no use in dwelling on the past right now…_

The growing anger past just as it came. Sometimes, maybe it had its advantages to have his emotions not as sharp and attached as they should be. That is, until it was necessary for them to take over him.

He wondered absently while walking down the Academy's lawns why he was even bothering keep taking this road he chose… _oh yeah, because I promised._

He stopped under a blooming sakura tree and looked up at the petal; Orb had one of the most unique collections of plants and animals: the City preserved various different kinds from the Old World that otherwise, would've been long extinct. So it wasn't really strange to find a sakura tree along side maple trees and even olive trees.

He put a hand on the trunk of the old tree and then climbed gracefully.

Maybe if he fell asleep, his worries would fade together with the darkness of the night when day comes.

XOXO

It was nighttime. Lacus was taking her regular stroll- alone this time- through the Academy's green and well-kept lawns.

Neither she nor Mir had told their friends about their little adventure earlier that day; they hadn't even the time to talk about it between the two of them as of yet, seeing as they were always surrounded by people.

Athrun tried to get some explanation out of her regarding the two's disappearance, but she successfully dodged his questions. But she also knew he won't just give up- Athrun was never one to just give up if things didn't go as he wanted. He will confront her about it sooner or later.

The pink-haired beauty wasn't paying attention to anything around her, and was caught off guard by a male voice she recognized all too well. Even if she only heard it two times in total up till now.

"Lacus Clyne, Songstress of Peace, famous Senator Seigel Clyne's only daughter, a remarkable Coordinator by her own right… and a nosy eavesdropper. I wonder why that last part somehow doesn't seem to add up," his voice was not unkind and his words in no way were said in a hostile manner, yet a warning bells went off in Lacus's head; it was like his mere voice, let alone his presence, just radiated danger and power barely contained.

A dark figure jumped down lightly right in front of her from up a near by tree- her favorite sakura tree, to be precise. Lacus didn't bat an eye; in a strange way, it was like she expected that. She had a feeling Mir and her little intruding act didn't go completely unnoticed.

He smirked at her, his eyes shining, reflecting the stars' and the moon's light mirthlessly.

"You knew we were there," it wasn't a question.

He tilted his head to one side, his smirk growing, "Indeed."

_I knew it. But then…_ "Why didn't you expose us?" she glared at him suspiciously. Kira matched her glare with a calm, unaffected look, and Lacus couldn't help but notice just how captivating his extraordinary, deep lavender eyes were…

"Because I think you might be useful," he answered in a light, quiet voice.

He sounded so casual and confident; Lacus was almost tempted to just nod and agree to whatever he asked of her. So lost she was in his eyes and so charmed by his voice and its tone. Then she blinked and forced herself to avert her eyes from his bewitching ones. She was furious. How _dare_ he try to manipulate her with his Voice-Controlling?

Lacus was not one to use foul language usually, but... _Shin was right. **Cocky bastard**._

"What, princess, can't take a little of your own medicine?"

She glared at him again, this time allowing her own Coordinator presence loose. "I never used my ability on anyone before for my own selfish reasons," she said calmly, her voice unwavering.

A sad smile replaced the annoying smirk. "Yeah, I know."

Lacus frowned, confused. What was he trying to pull? "I don't get you," she whispered. Grey-blue locked with lavender once more. "Who are you, Kira Yamato? A friend? An enemy? What do you want?"

"Is that how you see the world- 'for me or against me'?" his voice sounded mildly disappointed. "I expected more from the Songstress of Peace."

How did he do that? How did he turn the conversation around? Made her feel like _she_ was in the wrong here?

And why did she feel so ashamed knowing she didn't liven up to the supposed standards he set for her?

Kira watched silently as the young woman mulled over his words. She was clearly strongly affected by them. Not surprising; his Voice-Controlling left no trucks, went unnoticed. He was an expert, after all. He perfected and polished and mastered the art of manipulating with his voice in the last five years; if he _really_ didn't want people to know he was manipulating and controlling and affecting them- they won't.

Yet, he normally didn't bother. He didn't really care if people were aware of what he was doing normally, and masking his ability was a hard and delicate stunt to pull- especially on a fellow Coordinator. And Lacus Clyne was a very skillful one at that.

But it was worth it, or so he hoped. If he could bring her to believe she _had_ to help him, things will be that much easier.

"Well, Miss Clyne, have a good night." He said, knowing it was time to pull back.

"Wait!" she called as he made to leave.

He stopped and faced her again, a neutral expression on his passive face.

She bit her lips and shook her head. "I'm sorry. You're right- I can't judge you nor can I just define people so easily. I have no right to accuse you of anything, too," she took a calming breath and closed her eyes for a moment then opened them again, determined look on her face, "but so can't you." and with that, she was the first to leave.

Kira stared after her for a long moment, doubting himself for the first time. He sighed. Why must all the women he comes across be such a headstrong and determined ones?

Because one thing was sure: using Lacus Clyne might prove to be far more troublesome than he anticipated.

* * *

**Finally some KxL screen time! HeheXD. Not much of a romance, but again, it's a slow-paced story…**

**I really wanted to put Cagalli in this chapter too, but before that comes the scene with Flay (please don't kill me!) and that will make the chapter WAY too long, so I moved it to the next one.**

**Heads up about Flay- I don't hate her, and her character plays an important role here, BUT even if there will be some KxF I'm still a loyal KxL fan! Don't worry!=))**

**Last thing, about the short part in the beginning- it's just my own wandering thoughts and it fitted the story, so I put it here. Sorry if it's kinda strange=p Now, you know th drill- pleaseee **review**!**

**Sorry for the long wait for next chap, but i won't have time to write till the middle of next month or so...=/**

****Evermore****


End file.
